Another throbbing intro before it bursts into some marvellous wonky guitar twists. The return of the throb is accompanied by more sixties type dramatic stabbing punctuations to further ram home the overall phallic implications of it all. Is he harking back to his three foot rock hard on? Nobody knows. Great way to end it all, though - 'Believe me kids, I've been through it all.'

 

 

 

posted @ 12.50 PM, June 12, 2008

Menacing start with a rent-a-riff which in other hands might sound commonplace. Here, though, it takes on a life of its own as a foretaste of the upcoming chant. It evolves into another one of those unique distorted trebly guitar sounds conjured up on this album. Then comes the chanting. The live versions are completely different lyrically, including workmen with their earrings dangling merrily.

 

 

 

posted @ 12.50 PM, June 11, 2008

Good question. It certainly sounds deliberately dated with its sixties vibe, along with a faux-dramatic, slightly Zappa-esque stop/start routine. It fair swings along. Littered with the by now familiar MES gruff delivery - 'I was provoked!' - and arch allusions to the likes of J. Archer and Jeremy Kyle.

Video: Is This New

 

 

 

posted @ 12.50 PM, June 10, 2008

Originally muted as the new album title. The rumbling intro featuring 'Guvner O Leipzig' promises much, but then the playful main section dilutes expectations as it seems to descend into an appropriately lame kiddy type tune. Depending on what mood I'm in, its simplistic playground melody either bores into me, or just bores me. The 'Bo diddy' bits are good though, as is the reference to Dave, the sleeping bass player.

 

 

 

posted @ 11.45 AM, June 09, 2008

Splendid riff and mainly uncomplicated tune, but a belter nevertheless. And what a couplet:'Reduce your knees to noodles/Your Doberman Pinschers to poodles.' The live Galtymore version begins with the immortal,'and here's another one I don't know the lyrics to.' The Bolton version, 'I Am Me, Mark' is just another incarnation of the song with extra whooping and chanting of Mark E Smith at the end. This one begins, 'I love orange juice - always have...I'm the witchfinder.'

Video: Tommy Shooter

 

 

posted @ 12.55 PM, June 06, 2008

Ennervating mixture of styles with yet more intriguing guitar elements and an infectious shuffling beat in the main section. The MES growl is in evidence occasionally, most notably in 'My boss he has the imagination of a gnat' and other one channel grumblings such as 'Ten pounds can ensure a lead for your dog.' None of the subtleties come through on the live version, making it a completely different and less satisfying beast.

 

 

 

posted @ 13.00 PM, June 05, 2008

Electronic instrumental with indecipherable whispering towards the end, giving an eerie edge to the crisp Kratwerkesque arrangement.

 

 

 

 

 

posted @ 14.10 PM, June 03, 2008

A Groundhogs cover with radio tuning twiddling top and tail and throughout. Starts with a peculiar Arnold Schwarznegger impersonator saying, what sounds like, 'Like your plants, they are nice.' Lots of overgrown garden imagery and strange cuts/edits. The main riff sounds quite theme-tuney and I love the sound of the trebly guitar bits. I also like how the bit where MES breaks down in a fit of giggles and counts back in again with 1,2,3,4 is kept in and the ending, 'The pink iPod is spewed out.'

 

 

posted @ 13.10 PM, May 30, 2008

Fun simplistic thumper sung by Elena with a vocal and background chant straight out of school of 77 punk. The lines which get me are 'Every time there's orange on TV/the brass are saying good news to me' and 'Two hairy men digging up Scotland.' Have you been duped?

 

 

 

 

posted @ 11.55 AM, May 29, 2008

Probably my current favourite new Fall track, this many layered epic covers a lot of ground, starting with computer rage and a Steve Albini/Virgin trains vendetta, going through to three foot rock hard ons and pissing on hotel towels. The banjo interlude is a joy, along with the slide guitar and boingy bit. The nod back to Wolf Kidult Man, presumably the genesis of this song, and ensuing noise section eventually explodes into the fantastic riff of the 4th part, the transition reminds me of when Rebel Rebel comes in after the noise on Diamond Dogs. Great phrasing of 'And they stuff the complimentary catering...' A funny, self- depricating hoot. There's even some high pitched squealing on the live version. 'I'm a fifty year old man. What're you gonna do about it?'

Video: 50 Year Old Man

posted @ 16.40 PM, May 28, 2008

After the wolf howls, some good old fashioned crisp garage thrash. A bit one-dimensional, but it does grow on you. Precog reference alert - the excerpt at the end is from the Twilight Zone episode, "Printers Devil" starring Burgess Meredith, where a dying newspaper is rescued from bankrupcy by a mysterious fellow, whose printing machine can predict tomorrows news.

 

 

 

posted @ 13.00 PM, May 27, 2008

Trippy, jazzy and laid back album opener. The bass line is very smooth and infectious, the drum beats adventurous, and the squeaky bits are fun too. Includes another swipe at meeja types, this time 'J. "Loaded" Brown' and 'L. Laverne' who once had a very uncomfortable interview with MES. Lyrically completely different on the live version - 'I love Alton Towers - it is the best.'

 

 

 

posted @ 13.35 PM, May 22, 2008